Anheuser-Busch Offers Free Theme Park Admission
"Here's to the Heroes," a program sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, was launched in February 2005 to celebrate the service of military men and women and the sacrifices made by their families. The program has extended free admission to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens through 2010.

Free admission is for any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or National Guardsman representing any of the five service branches and as many as three direct dependents. All servicemembers need do is register online at http://www.herosalute.com or in the entrance plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of Defense photo identification.

Each pass is valid for a one-day admission per person per year to five of Anheuser-Busch's seven theme parks. Visitors may choose Sea World Orlando, San Diego or San Antonio; Busch Gardens Tampa or Williamsburg; Pennsylvania's Sesame Place; Florida's Adventure Island; or Virginia's Water Country USA. Discovery Cove and Aquatica parks are not included in this offer.

Sea World Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld San Diego operate year round. The company's remaining parks are seasonal, with varying opening dates this spring. Each park's operating schedule is available at http://www.seaworld.com, http://www.buschgardens.com/bg, http://www.sesameplace.com/sesame2, http://adventureisland.com/Ai/default.aspx, and http://watercountryusa.com/wc/.

Free SF Giants Tours Available To Servicemembers
All servicemembers and dependants interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at the San Francisco Giants can show their military ID card at the Giants Dugout Store at AT&T Park and receive one complimentary ticket to the 10:30 am or 12:30 pm public tour (a $12.50 value free!). The tour takes you where the players go, visiting a dugout, the field and the Visitors' Clubhouse. Tours are available almost every day all year round, except when Giants play afternoon games and during large public events. Tours last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. For more information, please call 415-972-2400.

Operation Welcome Home Offers Job Opportunities to Veterans
California veterans have sacrificed much and served our country well, protecting the freedoms we all enjoy. To help our veterans' transition to civilian life, after a deployment or once their military service ends, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently launched an important new program: Operation Welcome Home.

As part of the Operation Welcome Home initiative, the Employment Development Department (EDD) plans to hire 325 limited-term employees (targeting recently released veterans) beginning January 2010. Working in coordination with EDD's veteran representatives, these new CALVET CORPS hires will be trained and deployed throughout the state to help redeploying or discharged veterans learn about the benefits and services available to successfully enter the civilian workforce.

CALVET CORPS will assist veterans in filing and certifying for Unemployment Insurance Program benefits, if eligible, to ensure continuity of income as they transition into employment. Additionally, CALVET CORPS will work closely with returning veterans to assess their needs for other benefits they may be entitled to, such as health care, education, disability compensation, and connect them with the appropriate service providers.

If you are interested in participating in the veteran outreach effort, have completed 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of college course work, and are an officer or non-commissioned officer, we encourage you to apply for one of these positions (salary range: $2817.00 per month plus medical benefits).

To learn more about these limited-term positions with the CALVET CORPS, please call Captain Peter Lewis at 916-806-1660 or email at peter.lewis@us.army.mil. In addition, please see the visit http://www.cdva.ca.gov/VetService/DocsAndImages/Vet%20Newsletter2.pdf to view the California Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Services Newsletter for application instructions.

Santa Clara County Offers Free Park Passes to E-4 and Below
In 2007 the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a program spearheaded by the Santa Clara County National Guard Veterans Affairs Commission that grants Annual Vehicle Entry Passes to California National Guard members in pay grades E-4 or below for parks operated by Santa Clara County.

There is a one-time administrative fee of $4. Servicemembers must reside in Santa Clara County and each family may receive one pass per year. Download the application at http://www.sccgov.org/SCC/docs%2FParks%20and%20Recreation%2C%20Department%20of%20%28DEP%29%2Fattachments%2FAnnual_Pass_for_Military_Form_8.pdf.

Because verification of eligibility status must be made, passes can only be obtained through the Parks Department Administration Office at 298 Garden Hill Drive, Los Gatos 95032.

Family Readiness Corner
Scholarships For Military Children
Applications for the 2010 Scholarships for Military Children Program are available in commissaries worldwide and online at http://www.commissaries.com. Only dependent, unmarried children, younger than the age of 21 (age 23 if enrolled as a full- time student at a college or university) of active duty personnel, reserve, guard and retired military members, survivors of servicemembers who died while on active duty, or survivors of individuals who died while receiving retired pay from the military may apply for a scholarship. The applicant must be planning to attend, or already be attending, an accredited college or university full time in the fall of 2010, or be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program. Applicants should prepare to submit an essay on the following topic: "You can travel back in time; however, you cannot change events. What point in history would you visit, and why?" Applications must be turned in to a commissary by close of business Feb. 17, 2010. At least one scholarship will be awarded at every store location with qualified applicants.

Military Onesource Webinar For Special Needs Families
Having a child with special health and/or educational needs can be especially challenging for military families. Services for special needs children vary from state to state and knowing where to go for high-quality, current information is critical.

Isabel Hodge from the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy will provide a comprehensive overview of government and nongovernment resources useful to military special-needs families. Tune in Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. and Thursday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. to discuss locating local, state and community resources, government websites, evaluating online resources, and connecting with other families. Registration is currently open, to view more information and sign up, visit http://www.militaryonesource.com/Default.aspx?grm2catid=11&tabid=238

Podcast Series Addresses Post-Deployment Challenges
Servicemembers and their families can get help coping with post-deployment stress through a new series of podcasts profiling the personal stories of those who have lived it.

"Combat brings individuals face-to-face with the harshest demands imaginable. In fact, it's impossible to be unaffected by these experiences. Stress reactions, family and relationship difficulties, and work conflicts can affect an individual's emotional well being." These words set the stage for the premiere episode of "There and Back," an audio podcast series created by Web managers for afterdeployment.org, a Defense Department Web site developed by experts at the National Center for Telehealth and Technology and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.

The podcast series is directed to the entire military community to help manage some of the challenges faced by servicemembers and their families following a deployment, defense officials said. "Learning About Depression," the initial ten minute podcast in the "There and Back" series is a tapestry woven of education, encouragement and emotional intimacy. Dr. Jenifer Alford, a clinical psychologist and afterdeployment.org's functional director, guides listeners through the world of depression. "Depression can happen to just about anyone, given the right set of circumstances," Doctor Alford says. "Taking no action, or believing that time will heal the depression, could result in the depression getting worse or lasting longer."

The podcast is punctuated by servicemembers and their families telling their personal stories, allowing listeners to know that they are not alone in their struggles. Listen to "There and Back: Learning about Depression," or visit the Podcasts section of the DCoE Web site. To receive future episodes of "There and Back," subscribe free at iTunes.com. Upcoming episodes will discuss post-traumatic stress, anger management, sleep problems, and relationship issues.

Family Readiness Course
This course provides the essentials on establishing and maintaining a viable Family Readiness system in California National Guard units. Suggested attendees are unit volunteers, military points of contact for Family Readiness, commanders and other leaders. Topics include family program essentials, effective and legal fundraising, deployments, and more. The course will be held March 20-21, 2010 in Petaluma, Calif. For more information, contact June Sato at 916)-361-4957 or register at http://www.prestoregister.com/cgi-bin/order.pl?ref=Readyfamilies&fm=1.